Method of retreading tire casings



y 1942- P. E. HAWKINSON r 2,282,579

METHOD OF RETREADING TIRE -CASINGS Filed April 19, 1940 202 Roums Moms 1 PazlZE. 1101111715021 Patented May 12,1942 I 2 2 2 579 ITE sures PATENT .()FF1 E Q METHOD OF TIRE CASINGS v Paul E. Hawkinson, Minneapolis, Minn, assignor' to Paul E. Hawkinson Company, Minneapolis, Mlnn.,a corporation of Minnesota Application April 19, 1940, Serial No. 330,514 t 10 Claims. (Cl. 18-59) My present invention relates generally to the sures are employed. In this connection,-it may art of tire retreading, and more particularly rebe said that in conventional mold curing prac- -lates to improvements in that class of tire retice the new tread is cured usually at a temtreading wherein new tread material,-usually unperature'of approximately 2'75 degrees, and under cured tread rubber, is cured or vulcanized to the 5, a pressure of approximately one hundred (100) peripheral portion of the tire casing under heat pounds per square inch upward, whereas at this and pressure, without the use of a tread confining same temperature a treaded casing cured by mold, and by subjecting the treaded casing to steam in a kettle would be subjected to a presheated fluid under relatively high pressure. sure of only approximately 45 pounds per square This general class of retreading without the 16 inch. r 1 I use of molding equipment has become known as The present invention takes the above noted kettle curing," since such processes usually inshortcomings of the so-called kettle cure method volve applying an uncured tread material to the of retreading into consideration and provides a tire casing, and then placing the newly treaded new method of. kettle curing which very macaslng in a large chamber known as a kettle, l5 terially improves the results obtainedby the wherein'there is maintained live steam under finished product by increasing tread wear and pressure. The heat of the steam serves to bring, greatly decreasing the frequency of tread sepathe newly p d tread m ri l r r bber up t ration. An important objective of the present ina curing v an ine t p u While the vention is the provision of a new method whereby pressure of the steam exerted directly on the 'ex- 20 an annular band of tread material may be cured posed surface areas of the casing and new tread to the peripheral crown portion of a tire casing serves to retain the tread i place against flowwhile the new annular tread material and the M I 11 2 action, nd to maintain the Same under P peripheral crown portion of the casingare maine, which is me Satisfactory ellrtained in a materially radially and circumfering. The main advantage in these hi h r mentially contracted condition, so that the cured p l Systems methods of g y tread will be stretched and, maintained under subjection 0f the treeded casing to live Steam tension to contract to its cured radius and circumunder pressure is the fact that expensive molding fer nee when the tir casing is subsequently inq pm n is eliminatedflated to its normal service condition. In this o the q y of Work Previously P connection it may be said that the benefits of dueed'by these se-eelIed kettle cure Processes curing a new annular tread to a tire casing while has b generally recognized as being inferior to the peripheral crown portion of the tire casing Ietreading o in conventional molding equipr and the new-tread material are maintained ina m n t a causes r omplaint a ainst materially radially and circumferentially conke eilie retreeds having b relatively ap 5 tracted condition are now widely recognized, but tread W as compared to retreads cured in that the present method is believed to be the first mol nd f h v much greater frequency whereby this important objective can be accomof separation of the new tread from the tire casplished i ction with a, method wherein the ing in service of kettle cure.retreads as compared new t d at rial i ured to the peripheral to m d e The reasons for h 41) crown of the casing by direct application to the more rap d tread w a more frequent tread new tread material of heated fluid under presseparation in connection with kettle cured treads r The improved method and numerous obas compa d to mold cured treads s no doubt jectives and advantages thereof including the lar ly du to the fa that e p ss e p ed above" noted and others will be made apparent y Steam 0n the new treadmatelial-is P P 4., from the following specification and claims, totional to the temperature of the steam, and since gether with the appended drawing. In the ac-. the maximum temperature to which a tire casing oompanying drawing, like characters indicate like can be subjected without serious danger is limited I parts throughout the several views.

to apoint whereat the pressure produced by the Referring to the drawing: v steam is relatively very low as compared to pres- Fig. l is a view illustrating a worn tire casing sures employed in mold curing practice, the cured in a shape normally assumed thereby, some parts tread is not bonded as tightly to the casing as in of the tire being broken away and some parts mold practice and the tread rubber is cured in a being shown in transverse section; less compacted or more spongy condition than in Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrates mold curing practice wherein much higher presthe beads of the casing as being laterally spread .eral crown portion of the carcass.

. tion of the tire under apart, so as to materlallycontract the road engaging crown portion of the casing,. and a new tread material applied to the contracted crown;

i 3 is a view illustrating the tire in the conditionshown in Fig. 2 placed in a steam kettle;

, beads is illustrated Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the casing after it is illustrated in the normal substantially undis-,

torted condition. This tire casing; 4 comprises a carcass i having reinforced rimengaging beads 1, a tread I applied over the periphand side wall protecting rubber 9 applied over opposite side walls of the carcass radially inwardly of the heavy tread 8. The carcass 8 is assumed to be of the conventional so-called cord type wherein a plurality of layers of cords of cotton rayon or other suitable substance extends diagonally from head to head of the tire and are adhered together but insulated apart by a soft rubber composition, which permits considerable but limited movement of the cords one with respect to the other. By reference particularly to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the annular road engaging crown surface of the original tread material 8 is relatively flat in transverse section as compared to the normal substantially circular cross sectional contour of the underlying carcass 6, so that the worn original tread is relatively very thin at its transverse center and has relatively very thick shoulder tread portions radially under the laterally spaced edges ID of the road engaging crown surface of the original tire material.

The first step in carrying process consists in preparing the worn'casing for reception of a new tread material and in carrying out the improved method in the preferred manner herein described. This is usually accomplished by buillng the relatively flat worn road engaging tread surface of the original tread material tween the edges llthere of Just suiiiciently to true the same up and to clean and roughen-the same to provide surface. Preferably this builing operation will be confined to the relatively flat crown surface of the original tread and will not materially reduce the thickness of the worn tread material. To complete the preparation of the casing for reception of the new tread material, the bufl'ed road engaging crown surface of the original tread material is usually given a coat of rubber cement. The next step in carrying out the method in the preferred manner is to radially contract the road engaging crown portion of the carcass from out my improved a substantially normal or expanded radial con-,

dition as shown in Fig. 1' to a very materially contracted condition substantially representing the radial measurement of the road engaged-pornormal load. This last accomplished by laterally spreading the beads I ofthe tire. while maintaining the same in substantiallyparallel relation, from their normal position shown in Fig.

step is preferably '1, to substantially the spread condition represented in Fig. 2. This spreading of the beads is most conveniently accomplished by commercially available power operated spreading devices preferably of the inside arm type, but for the pu pose to the point where of the present illustration, this spreading of the as being accomplished by a plurality of hand spreaders ll applied at circum- .ferentially evenly spaced points about the beads of the tire.

The spreading devices I I each comprise a handle equipped stem I! provided with left and right hand screw at their opposite end portions, and bead engaging nut-acting spreader lugs II that are mounted on opposite screw threaded end portions of the stem 12. In spreading the tire, it is highly desirable to space the spreading devices approximately equally and to eral or road engaging crown portion of the tire. Of course, the contraction of the peripheral or road engaging crown portion of the tire under lateral spreading action of the beads is the direct result of the diagonal disposition of the cords the preferred manner is the applying to the buifed and cemented road engaging crown surthe original tread material, intermediate the edges ll thereof and while the peripheral crown portion of the casing is in a radially and circumferentially contracted condition with its beads spread, an annular band of new tread material M. The annularband of new tread mate rial M will usually be uncured tread stock and this will I applied to the bufl'ed crown of the original tread in a manner to provide a fluid tight bond between the new and old material. fluid tight bond between the rial is particularly important processes wherein pressure new and old matein connection with new and old material will be I Whereas I prefer to apply the tread material while the casing is in a laterally spread circumferentially contracted condition as shown in Fig. 2, and as described above, attention is called to the fact that the process can be carried out by applying the new tread material to the casing while it is in a more or less normal condition as shown, for-example, in Fig. 1, and the newly treaded casing thereafter circumferentially contracted to the condition shown in Fig. 2. This latter procedure, however, makes circumferential contraction of the crown portion of the casing more difllcult and has a tendency to weaken the bond between the new and old tread materials; the former of which is still in an uncured state. The next step in the process consists in subjecting the laterally spread circumferentially and radially contracted casing with its newly applied tread material to complete interior and exterior surface contact with casing, as represented in Fig. 2, in a suitable steam kettle, indicated as an entirety, by It, as

This obtaining of a I laterally spread and heated fluid under pres-. sure, whereby to cure the newly applied tread. material to the crown portion of the casing while In Fig. the inflated casing of Fig.4 is illusshown in Fig. 3. In the present illustration, the steam kettle is shown as being provided with a removable cover l6 carrying a steam pressure gauge H. The bottom .of the kettle I5 is shown as being provided with a condensation sump I8 leading from which is a drain pipe l8 that is normally closed by a valve 20. Steam under pressure is admitted to the interior chamber of the kettle l5 by steam inlet pipe 2011. After the treaded tire is placed in the mold and the cover closed and sealed, steam under pressure will be admitted through the pipe afrom a suitable boiler not shown, and a steam pressure of thirtyfive to forty-five pounds will be built up and maintained during the curing operation, the length of which will depend on the actual steam temperature and pressure maintained and the thickness of the new tread being applied.

When the curing operation has been completed, the tire will be removed from the kettle and the beads released from lateral spreading action by removing the spreaders II; when the spreaders are removed the casing, through its own natural tendency to return to a normal condition as shown in Fig. 1, will expand circumferentially and contract laterally although this action will be retarded and, in fact, stopped be- I fore the casing returns fully to a normal condition, by the contracting pressure exerted by the circumferentially short new tread material l4 which was cured on in a radially and circumferentially short condition substantially representing the rolling radius of the casing. However, when the tire is equipped with the c'ustom-' ary inner tube 2| and wheel rim 22 and inflated, as shown in Fig. 4, the tire casing will be returned to a normally expanded condition and the newly applied tread material II will be maintained in a stretched condition from which it will tend to contract back to the radially and eircumferentially short. condition in which it was cured.

. In retreading tires, it is usually desirable to decrease to some extent the radius of the. cross sectional arc of the road engaging crown surface of the new tread material as compared to the relatively flat road engaging crown surface of the worn tire before retreading. Thev desirability of thus doing arises from the fact that the treads of most tire casings wear off somewhat more at their transverse central portions in service than at the transverse edges of their road engaging crown surface so that it becomes desirable in re-.

treading the tire to restore the road engaging crown surface of the tread to a normal more rounding contour transversely, although the cross sectional contour of the road engaging crown of the finished tread, upon inflation, will still be relatively flat as compared to the. substantially circular inflated contour of the carcass.- To this end, it will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that the new tread material ll has a transversely convex inner surface, and by reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the road engaging crown surface of the original tread material assumes a transversely concave shape when the beads of the tire are spread as illustrated in Fig. 2. In most instances the concavity of the crown surface of the original tread material will substantially match the convexity of the new tread material so that the road engaging crown surface of the new tread material will be cured in a sub- 'stantially transversely flat condition which is the condition thereof when on the road'under load.

trated as it appears in side elevation when on ,the road under normal load, a road bed being indicated by y. In Fig. 5 those portions of the peripheral road engaging crown surface of the tire which are not in engagement with the road are indicated by the outer arcuate full line a and the expanded radius, of the casing is indicated by an arrow marked Expanded radius; also that part of the road engaging crown surface of the tire actually in engagement with the road, is shown on the straight line 3 of the road bed between points '1) and c. The reduced rolling circumference of the tire is shown by dotted circle (1 in Fig. 5 and the rolling radius is indi-,

cated by the arrow marked accordingly. In tires wherein the road engaging treads are cured in an expanded radius condition the forced reduction in radius and circumference thereof between points b and c, as a result oftire distortion caused by normal load produces a surplus of tread rubber between points I) and c which in turn produces a tread wave just ahead of the road contacted portion of the tread, as a result of the reduction in radius at the ground engaging portion when the tire is distorted at this point by the load. Such a tread wave is indicated in Fig. 5by dotted line e and results in a continual scuiiing of the tread against the road at this point, which produces damaging head and rapid tread wear. However, in tires cured according to the method above set forth, the new treads are stretched and maintained under tension to contract and,.

in fact, do contract under engagement with the road sufliciently to eliminate or largely e1iminatethe tread wave present in conventionally.

cured tires. In other words, in tires treaded according to the present method, that portion of the tread engaging the ground merely returns by its own elasticity to a substantially neutral condition and shape approximately representing the condition and shape, it assumed during the curing operation so that there is no surplus rubher to produce atread wave such as indicated at e in Fig. 5. Hence due to this fact, .the tendency of the treads to wear as a result of scufling action and the tendency of the treads to pull loose from the original tire material is so greatly relieved that the finished product will give greatly improved service as compared to treads similarly cured without a mold but to a substantially normal radius and cross-sectional contour.

It is usually desired to form a tread pattern in any new tread and since this is not accom-' plished during the curing process it can be readily accomplished after the tire is cured by cut ting in a design with a suitable cutting tool or machine. In practice, this can usually be accomplished best by a so-called regrooving machine."

, The word retreading is herein used in a broad sense to cover the application of tread material to any previously cured tire casing, and this without regard to whether the purpose of adding the tread material be to replace tread material that has been worn off or otherwise removed or be simply for the purpose of treading new tire casings. What I claim is: v 1. The method of retreading a. tire casing which includes the steps of circumferentially and radially contracting the crown portion of the tire at all points about its" circumference by simultaneously laterally spreading the beads of the tire casing at circumferentially spaced points,

' about its circumference, in

mately the manner and to applying a new annular tread over the crown portion of the casing in a manner to provide a fluid tight bond between the new tread and the original the material, and curing the newly applied tread by subjecting the entire exterior surface area of the newly treaded tire casing to direct surface contact with a heated fluid under pressure while restraining the casing against inward collapsing action and while maintaining the beads of the tire casing in such laterally spread relation that the road engaging crown portion thereof is circumferentially and radially contracted to a diametermaterially under the normal expanded diameter thereof.

2. The method of retreading a tire casing which includes the steps of laterally spreading the beads of the tire casing at circumferentially spaced points simultaneously to materially contract the entire peripheral portion ofthe casing circumferentially and radially to a diameter materially under the normal inflated diameter thereof, applying an annular tread circumferentially about the crown in a manner to provide tween the new tread material and the original tire material, and curing the newly applied tread material by subjecting the entire interior and exterior surfaces of the tire casing to direct surface contact steam under pressure while maintaining the beads of the tire in such laterally spread condition that the crown portion of the casing is materially contracted radially and circumferentially at all points about its portion of the casing circumference.

3. The method of l'etreading a tire casing a fluid tight bond bea fluid tight bond between the new and old tread material, in laterally spreading the beads of the casing at all points about their circumferences to an extent necessary to contract the entire circumference of the newly treaded crown portion of the casing to a radius approximately equalling the expected rolling radius of the treaded casing and to distort the treaded road engaging crown transversely to approximately the transverse shape assumed thereby, when on the road under normal load, and in finally curing the newly applied crown tread material to the crown of the casing while the crown of the casing is retained in a materially radially and circumferentially contracted-condition by forced spreading of its beads.

6. The method defined in claim 2 in which the said heated fluid is under a pressure of not less than thirty-five pounds, per square inch,

during the curing operation.

which consists in first preparing the crown portion of the'casing for reception of a newtread, next laterally spreading the beads of the tire at circumferentially spacedl points to contract the road engaging crown ing to a materially reduced radius at all points next applying a new annular tread material over the now contracted road engaging crown portion of the tire casing in a manner to provide a fluid tight bond between the new tread and the original tire .ma-

terial, and in flnally curing the newly applied tread material by subjecting the entire exterior surface of the newly treaded tire casing to direct surface contact with heated fluid under pressure while maintaining the beads of the tire casing in such laterally spread condition that the entire newly treaded road engaging crown portion of the tire casing is maintained in a materially circumferentially and radially contracted condition at all points about its circumferenm.

4. The method of retreading a tire casing -which consists in first preparing the crown portion of the casing for reception of a new tread,

portion of the tire cas-.

7. The method of retreading a tire casing which consists in flrst preparing the crown portionof the casing for reception'of a new tread,

next applying a new annular tread to the prepared crown portion of the casing about its entire circumference,. in next materially contracting the newly treaded crown portionof the casing at all points about its circumference by laterally spreading the beads of the tire casing evenly at all points about the circumference, and in finally curing the newly applied crown tread material to the crown of the casing while the crown of the casing is retained in a materially radially and circumferentially contracted condition by forced spreading of its beads.

8. The method defined in claim 1 in which the heated fluid referred to is steam under a pressure of not less than approximately thirty-five (35) pounds per square inch.

9. The method of retreading tire casings which comprises the following steps, to wit: applying a new annular band of tread material over the peripheral crown portion of the tire casing in a manner to provide a fluid tight bond between the new tread and the original tire ma:

. terial, radially contracting the peripheral crown next laterally spreading the beads of the tire on at circumferentially spaced points to contract the road engaging crown portion'of the tire casing to a materially reduced radius at all points about its circumference, in next applying a new annular tread material over the now contracted ,road engaging crown portion of the tire casing in a manner to provide a fluid tight bond be-v tween the new tread and the original tire "mate'rial, in subjecting the entire interior and exte'riorsurfaces of the newly treaded tire casing to heated fluid underpressure while maintaining the beads of the tire casing spread in approxiapproximately the extent specified.

The method of retreadi'ng a tire casing hav- 7&5

portion of the casing at all points cumference, and in curing the newly applied tread material by subjecting the exposed surfaces thereof radially outwardly of .the original tire material to direct. surface contact with heated fluid under pressure while retaining the treaded peripheral crown portion of the casing against expansion and in contracted condition at all points cumference.

10. The method of which comprises the following steps, to witrapplying a new-annular band, of tread material over the peripheral crown portion of the tire casing in a manner'to provide a fluid tight bond between the new tread and the original tire material, radially contracting the peripheral crown about its cirabout its cira materially radially portion of the casing at all points about its cirexpansion and in a materially contracted condicumference, and. in curing the newly applied tion whereat the radius of the new tread matetread material by subjecting the exposed surfaces rial, at all points about its circumference, closely thereof radially outwardly of the original tire approximates the expected loaded rolling radius material to direct surface contact with heated 5 of the casing when subsequently placed in fluid under pressure while retaining the treaded service.

peripheral crown portion of the casing against PAUL E. HAWKINSON. 

